Calypso Girls battle USA for 10th today

KINGSTON: Trinidad and Tobago Calypso Girls netballers won only their second game in six matches at the Cable & Wireless 2003 11th World Netball Championships when they beat Nuie 60-40 at the National Sports Centre here yesterday.

After a torrid game on Wednesday night when they were beaten 51-49   by South Africa, the Trinidadian girls were tested by the tiny South Pacific islanders as they battled for a place in the top bracket in world netball. The Calypso Girls meet United States in the play off for 10th position today, a drop off from the eighth spot they started the current series with. Janelle Barker continued her fine shooting form, leading Trinidad and Tobago to a 15-8 first quarter lead. And despite a spirited second quarter challenge by Nuie in which they were only outscored 16-15, the halftime whistle found the Calypso Girls leading 31-23.

The Nuie girls made one last effort to close the eight-goal deficit in the third period, but were held off 13-11 for the Trinidadians to hold a 44-34 lead. And with the defence tightening the screws in the final period when Nuie were held to just six goals to their 16, the Calypso Girls coasted to victory. Barker finished with 41 goals from 48 attempts for an 85 percent average, while goal-attack Simone Morgan scored 19 goals from her 25 attempts. South Africa survived a stern test from the one-time netball powerhouse Trinidad and Tobago Wednesday night. The 1979 co-champions (with Australia and New Zealand) surprisingly led the South Africans  27-23 at half time, after the Proteas led 14-11 at the end of the first period.

Other scores: USA (62) vs COOK ISLAND (38); ST VINCENT (44) vs  ST LUCIA (42) ANTIGUA/BARBUDA (58) vs NORTHERN IRELAND (45); SCOTLAND (32) vs WALES (27); BERMUDA (51) vs HONG KONG (49); SRI LANKA (58) vs GRENADA (35); CANADA (58) vs CAYMAN ISLANDS (34).